Hatfield town administrator Jeffrey Ritter is stepping down for new job in Templeton

– Town Administrator Jeffrey Ritter is leaving to become municipal chief of the northern Worcester County town of Templeton. Ritter, who held the Hatfield job for two years, will step down on Jan. 17, according to a published report in the

. Hatfield Selectman Marcus Boyle told the Northampton newspaper that Ritter did "a terrific job" for the short time he managed the Hampshire County town. The departure of Ritter, which coincides with Hatfield's annual budget-making process, marks a "significant loss" for the town, Boyle said. The Gazette said Ritter cited an easier commute among the reasons for taking the Templeton job, which is much closer to his Harvard home than Hatfield. During Ritter's tenure, Hatfield kept up with the times by creating a town

, which the outgoing official championed as a more efficient way to reach the town's 3,000-plus residents. The Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee will hold a joint meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Memorial Town Hall, though it was unclear if the administrator position is among the topics to be discussed at the session. A meeting agenda was not immediately available online. Hired by the Board of Selectmen, the town administrator is responsible for handling Hatfield's day-to-day affairs, including implementation of policies set by the board. The administrator also "serves as the